Democracy flew from Venezuela to Iraq

By Aleksander Boyd

16.12.05 | The Guardian reports today "BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Millions of Iraqis, from tribal sheiks to entire families with children in tow, turned out Thursday to choose a parliament in a mostly peaceful election - among the freest ever in the Arab world. Up to 11 million of the nation's 15 million registered voters took part, election officials estimated..." The BBC echoes it "More than 70% of Iraqi voters may have taken part in Thursday's parliamentary election, Iraqi electoral officials have said." (Note that I am quoting solely demonstrably biased sources).

Contrast the incipient Iraqi democracy, and its participation figures, with the purportedly "well established" Venezuelan counterpart, in whose last elections of December 4, just a bit over 10% of voters bothered to lend support to Hugo Chavez's hand picked coalition of representatives to congress.

The electorate of both countries sent an equally powerful message; on the one hand those who have lived a life of oppression under the rule of an authoritarian dictator embraced, in overwhelming numbers, freedom and peace over terrorism and violence. On the other those who have enjoyed a life of freedom and peace rejected, in similar outstanding proportions, the terrorist, violent, and now illegitimate, project promoted by Hugo Chavez.